The hard work and academic achievement of nearly 300 Moraine Park Technical College students was recognized during the College’s annual Student Awards Banquet held May 9 at The Golf Club at Camelot in Lomira.

Lisa Karst, Moraine Park’s 2014 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient began the program by sharing her experiences as both a student and alumnus. Karst, of Burnett, is the assistant vice president/regional operations leader at National Exchange Bank & Trust in Beaver Dam. “I have no doubt my continued education opened the door to additional opportunities and played a role in my promotions,” said Karst, who challenged the students to be driven, stay involved and to give back or pay it forward. “It also allowed me to build friendships and a network that will last a lifetime.”

The 2014-15 District Student Ambassador Award was presented to Kim Dickinson of Beaver Dam. Dickinson is enrolled in Moraine Park’s Business Management and Supervision program. She will assume her Ambassador role in fall, taking over for 2013-14 Student Ambassador Mihai Schnell Harrison of Ripon.

Moraine Park presented the Student of the Year Award to nursing student E. Prakash Nair of West Bend for exemplifying the College’s core abilities, and excelling both in and outside of the classroom. Nair thanked his family, fellow students and Moraine Park staff and instructors for helping him on his educational journey. “I can still remember my son sitting on my lap while I was studying and teach him his first nursing word: stethoscope,” said Nair, who graduates in May.

Eighteen Moraine Park students received the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges Award. Who's Who Among Students is one of the most highly regarded and long-standing honors programs in the nation. Students receive national recognition for achieving at least a 3.25 GPA as well as participating and showing leadership in academic and extracurricular activities. Those students include: Kirsten Lynch of Beaver Dam; Brittany Stark, Kerry Grunkowski, Lauren Duwell, Paige Frombach, Sandra Odekirk of Fond du Lac; Kristy Sparacio of Fox Lake; Ingrid Moder of Hustisford; Sherry Drake of Juneau; Steven Smith of Kiel; Jessica Krieger of Mayville; Leanne Gensch, of Reeseville; Katrina Switzler of Rosendale; Kaitlyn Zinecker of Wautoma; April Neumann, E. Prakash Nair, Stacey Scheinpflug, Stephen Orr of West Bend.

Also recognized at the banquet were the more than 100 students who were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society on April 30; and five students who received Community Stewardship, Activist and Leadership Award scholarships from the Moraine Park Federation of Teachers.